Bids will be taken from broadcasters willing to give up their spectrum rights in exchange for payments in what is known as a reverse or incentive auction. The spectrum will be repackaged into bands that will be sold to mobile broadband providers, with broadcasters compensated for the spectrum they hand over.

600 MHz Band Plan. We seek comment on a band plan for reclaimed broadcast television spectrum using 5 megahertz blocks, in which the uplink band would begin at channel 51 (698 MHz) and expand downward toward channel 37 based on the amount of reclaimed spectrum, and the downlink band would begin at channel 36 (608 MHz) and likewise expand downward. We seek comment on establishing 6 megahertz guard bands between mobile broadband use and broadcast use, , and propose to make this spectrum available for unlicensed use. In addition, we seek comment on a number of alternative band plan approaches.

Unlicensed Use of Spectrum. We invite comment on measures that would make a substantial amount of spectrum available for unlicensed uses, including a significant portion that would be available on a uniform nationwide basis for the first time. Television white spaces will continue to be available for unlicensed use in the repacked television band. In addition, we seek comment on making the guard bands spectrum in the 600 MHz band plan available for unlicensed use, making channel 37 available for such use, and making two channels currently designated for wireless microphone use available for white space
devices.

The opportunity to buy new spectrum in the auction will help operators cope with the increasing demand for data services driven by the uptake of smartphones and tablets.

Broadcasters don’t own their spectrum. It was given to them by taxpayers. Station licenses, however, have been bought and sold for years, mostly between large group owners who believe they have “rights” to most local broadcast radio and television.

Much of of the estimated $15 billion raised by the auction will go to buying a nationwide LTE networked, dedicated only to first responders, rather than paying off the national debt, an approach that Joe Barton thought unfortunate. About $7 billion will be set aside to build the $20 billion nationwide emergency communications network. A disaster waiting to happen.

If the FCC wanted to do something useful for consumers and broadcasters, they ought to mandate digital FM tuners on all smartphones.